Rug and method of making same



1947- B. A. GREENBERG RUQ AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed March 6, 1944 NV C7 Ben/k072i): lz'rcenbery Jan.'14, 1947- B. A. GREENBERG RUG AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed March 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 14, 1947 OFFICE RUG AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Benjamin A. Greenberg,

Ben Greenberg & Bro

partnership Chicago, 11],, assignor ito ther, Chicago, III. a co- Application March .6, 1944, Serial No. 525,149

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to articles of manufacture such as decorative and utilitarian coverings and protective articles such, for example, as rugs, mats, toilet seat coverings, tablecloths, bedspreads and similar other articles having a shaggy nap or pile to produce a rug or article of an attractive design. The rug or article is formed by means of a combination of piles forming groups of loop clusters and intermittently disposed single thread tufts or clusters adapted to be produced by means of a new type of double fringe or tape forming an important part of the invention. The fringe is adapted to be first cut and then applied to a woven foundation along a prescribed path followed by the removal of selvage thread chains to release the tuft threads and pile loops allowing the same to intercontact those in adjacent rows to produce a designed shag pile effect for the rug or article being produced.

The present invention is more particularly dirooted to an improved type of rug or similar article adapted to be constructed from an improved double type of fringe or tape adapted to be longitudinallycut to remove parts thereof and then applied along a prescribed path toa foundation before selvage chains are removed to produce a rug or article having a shag pile or nap comprising clusters of loops and tufts of different lengths to produce an attractive embossedlike pile or nap of effective design.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved rug or similar article and a method of making the same which is economical, practical and effective.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved type of irregular shag pile rug or similar article by the use of an improved looped nap producing fringe, braid or tape adapted to be secured circuitously to a supporting foundation and then partially unravelled to produce a pile of allover design.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved double type of yarn fringe or tape including removable substantially parallel selvage chains whereby the fringe or tape when secured to a fabric foundation, will produce a pile design of contacting looped clusters of differentvdepths.

Another object of the invention is to produce a rug or similar article with a design pile adapted to be constructed from an improved form of double edge fringe or tape consisting of alternate groups of short and long loops temporarily connected by means of inner selvage forming chain- 2 stitch chains, while the longer loops are at tached to outer selv-age forming chain-stitch chains whereby the bight portions of the long loops may be cut off and ,removedwith the outer selvage chains prior to the attachment of the ,cut fringe to a foundation fabric after which the inner selvage chains are unravelled to release the shorter loops and the longer tufts resulting from the cutti g off of the bightportions of the long loops.

Still another-object ,of the invention is to provide an improved method of producing shaggy rugs and the like by first forming a double type fringe with inner and outerchain-stitch selvage chains engaged transversely of the short and long loops of the fringe, then cutting through the bight portions ,of the long loops to remove the loop ends together with the outer connecting chains, then stitching the fringe along .a longitudinal center line upon a fabric foundation following a path producing parallelrows of the fringe :and causing oppositesides of :the sti-tched-onlfringe to move upwardly towards one another, then removing the innerselvage chains to release the shorter loops and the remaining ,cut strands of :the longer loops to produce alternate clusters of loops and tufts, and subsequently subjecting the rug pile formed by the clusters of loops and tufts to a steaming treatment to flufir-the loops andtuftsto cause the sameto form 1a. substantially complete pile covering for the foundation :fabric :with the loop .and tuft clusters forming an allover embossed design .forithe me.

It is an important object of this invention :to provide an improved type of rug or an article of manufacture in which a fabric zfoundation has stitched thereto along predetermined lines a pre-formed double type .of looped yarn fringe consisting of adjacent groups of :narrowand wide sections adapted tobe released after the securing of thefringe to the foundation fabric to produce contacting groups of yarn clusters to produce an embossed-like pile'or napfor :the article being produced,

Another important object of the invention is to provide a pile producing fringe having inner and outer selva'ges, on opposite margins thereof, to temporarily holdone group offringe loops in place before the same are transversely out :while the other group of loops and the remaining-portions 'of the cut loops are later adapted to :be released without 'being cut, thereby providing a fringe adapted to be used for producing an embossed-like pile or nap having a pleasingcdesign Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rug making tape or fringe embodying the principles of this invention and shown in association with a double cutter mechanism and illustrating a portion of the fringe with the longer looped sections cut transversely to remove the ends of the long loops together with the retaining outer selvage chain cords. j

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View of a section of a fabric foundation showing a portion of the cut fringe stitched thereto and with the opposite sides of the fringe movedupwardly toward one another bythe fastening stitches, and also illustrating the inner selvage chain-stitch cords partly unravelled to, release the shorter fringe loops and the cut longer loops strands to provide alternateclusters of loopsand tufts which constitutethe' pile or nap of the rug or article being produced. r i -'Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical detailed section taken on line III-III of Figure 2 through a cluster ofloops'of one row of the pile. 1 Figure 4 is a transverse detailed sectional view taken on line IV-IV of-* Figure 2 through one 'of the strand clusters'or tufts; Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a rug or similar article showing one path or design of the lines of the attaching stitches whereby the double type fringe is secured to the top'face of the rug foundation or webbing.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, of'onemarginal portion, of a rug or article produced'by means of the improved fringe at tached the foundation fabric to produce a rug nap or pile having an embossed effect with a design formed by the clusters of loops and tufts intermingling with one another to produce an overall design. 1. i As shown on the drawings: Y ii The present, invention relates to pile type articles of manufacture such as rugs, bath mats, toilet seat covers, table covers, bedspreads, and

other articles adapted to be produced on a foundation fabric of a desiredor selected size and configuration upon which a pile-forming yarn fringeis adapted to be secured, to produce a shag nap or pile of an overall design and having an embossed effect to produce an attractive rug or article for domestic and commercial purposes.

- An essential feature or part of the invention is a double edged tape or fringe, preferably machine manufactured out of string or yarn. The yarn or string .out of. which the fringeis made is transversely looped to provide groups of oppositely projecting short loops I, whichalternate with transverse groups of oppositely directed long loops 2, any selected number of which may be grouped-together to alternate with the groups of shorter loops. I as shown inthe upper portion of Figure 1.

To hold the groups of shorter loops and longer loopsin position to form the rug making fringe or tape, the loops while they are being formed, are simultaneously centrally stitched longitudinally .ofthe fringe by means of double rows of stitching 3. As the groups of fringe loops l and 2 are being stitched longitudinally of the fringe, 'both groups of the short and long loops are transversely stitched just inside of the bight portions of the short loops by single thread chain-stitching to form substantially parallel inner selvage forming chain-stitched seams 4.

At the same time that the chain-stitch scams 4 are produced outer selvage chain-stitch cords 5 are formed, to stitch transversely through the bight portions of the long loops 2 to form outer selvage seams 6. As illustrated in Figure l, the chain-stitch cord sections 5 form connections between the spaced groups of long fringe loops 2 with the aid of the selvage seams 6 which are integral with said cord sections.

It will thus be noted that the improved fringe or tape, which is the primary medium essential for the producing of an improved embossed pile shag rug or similar article, is preferably made of transversely looped strands of yarn arranged in alternate adjacent groups of short loops and long loops the bight portions of which are transversely stitched by means of inner and outer chain-stitch seams or cords, with parts of the outer chainstitch seams forming connecting cords between the spaced groups of the long fringe loops 2,

While the groups of short loops i are longer than the groups of long loops 2, it'is to be understood that the sizes or lengths of the loop groups may be reversed or varied in size to produce desired effects.

After the double type fringe or tape has been produced with the yarn loops fastened by means of the central stitching scams 3 and the chain stitch seams or cords i and 6, the fringe is ready fora cutting treatment, forming part of the rug making method of this invention. To condition the fringe for the making of a ru or other pile article, the fringe is fed into a cutter mechanism, of a selected standard type briefly illustrated in Figure l as including a driven shaft l having cutter discs 23 mounted thereon in spaced parallel relation, sothat when the fringe is fed through the cutter mechanism'the cutter discs 8 will cut transversely across the groups of long loops 2 to the inside of the scams 6 to thereby sever or cut off the bight portions 9 of the long loops 2 from the loop strands along the edges it) as illustrated in Figure l to form yarn tufts making up the groups or clusters H as shown in Figure 1.

The cut fringe, in the form illustrated in the. lower portion of Figure 1 beneath the shaft 1, is now ready to be applied to a rug foundation while the connecting chain-stitch cords 5 with the bight portions 9 of the long loops ,2 attached thereto are discarded as waste material. The chain-stitch cords 5 act to hold thebight portions 9 attached thereto, thereby preventing the same from scattering and flying around in the shop to make a mess.

To form a rug, a fabric foundation or webbing I2 is cut to a desired shape and size, such as the oval shaped ru illustrated in Figure 5. The foundation -fabricor webbing I2 may be of a selected grade of canvas, duck orother suitable strong foundation material upon; which the improved tape or fringe, forming an important part of this invention, is adapted to be stitched along a path of selected configuration, one example of which is illustrated in Figure 5. The parallel lines or rows of stitching [3 are preferably applied by means of a sewingmachine. vThe lines of stitching l3 provide an attaching means for the fringe after the bight portions 9 of the long loops 2 have been cut off. The fringe in its out condition, as illustrated in the lower portion of Figure l and in the upper portion of Figure 2, is stitched to the top surface of the foundation fabric 2 to follow a predetermined course to produce a desired design or motif, which in the creation of the rug or article will position the pile forming clusters .of loops and tufts of one applied row in position to spread out into contactin engagement with the loop and tuft clusters of adjacent rows of the fringe to produce an embossed-like pile for the article being made.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the cut fringe having the inner chain-stitch selvage scams 4 still securely in place, is stitched to the fabric foundation or back l2 along a longitudinal center line between the rows of stitching .3 .to form one of the lines or rows of stitchin I3. The seam formed by the stitching I 3 acts to pass transversely through the middle of the remaining strands resulting from the cutting off of the bights of the long loops 2 and across the middle of the short loops I, thereby tightly sewing the strands and loops to the foundation l2 and causing the opposite longitudinal margins of the cut fringe to extend upwardly and inwardly toward one another to narrow the width of the fringe as illustrated in Figure 2.

The cut fringe is preferably attached to the foundation fabric l2 in substantially even parallel rows spaced uniformly from one another as illustrated in Figure 6 resulting from the continuous attachment of a desired length of the cut fringe, starting along a cent-er line and then continuing in a sort of oval spiral-like path tocover the oval-shaped rug foundation as shown in Figure 5. The lines of attachment of the out fringe howver, may follow other circuitous lines or designs upon the foundation fabric H for the purpose of producing desired different design effects by the loop and tuft clusters formed from the double margins of the fringe or tape out of which the rug or article is constructed.

The stitching of the cut fringe upon the foundation fabric 52 is continued until substantially the entire body portion of the foundation is covered by the cut fringe, with the inner selvage seams or chains 4 still in position.

After the stitched application of the cut fringe to the top face of the foundation fabric 52 as described, the rug or article is now ready for the next step in the method of construction, which step consists of having an operator take hold of one end of the single thread forming an inner selvage chain-stitch seam 6 and then pulling on said thread to undo or unravel the chain-stitch. The short loops i and thebut strands of the long loops 2 are thus released to free the same, permitting them to spread out to form alternately arranged looped yarn clusters l4 between single yarn or thread tuft clusters It, with the yarn tuft clusters 15 being longer and projecting upwardly above the tops of the loop clusters I i. Figure 6 shows a fragmentary portion of a completed rug, having the adjacently disposed loop clusters !4 and the tuft clusters l spread into contact with adjacent tuft and loop clusters to produce an overall design effect of pleasing and attractive character. The groups of contacting loop clusters [4 and tuft clusters I5 produce a rug with a shag-like pile or nap having an embossed appearance with the tuft clusters sticking up above the loop clusters.

After the cut fringe is stitched or secured to the foundation fabric 12 along the desired path of the design or motif, and after the removal of the chain-stitch inner selvage scams 4, the rug or other article being made is ready for the final step in the method of the rug production. The final step consists of subjecting the embossed pile or nap of the rug to the action of steam to soften and fluff up the yarn forming the loops l and the strands of the tufts I5 to produce a soft fiuffy allover pile or nap for the rug.

The improved method of producing a rug or other pile-like article is adapted to be performed by the use of an improved double type yarn fringe or tape provided with alternating groups of short and long yarn loops stitched by means of removable inner and outer chain-stitch selvage seams. The method consists of providing a foundation of a selected design or shape, then cutting transversely through the groups of long loops to remove the loop bights together with the chain-stitch-connecting cords. The cut fringe is then stitched along a predetermined path upon longitudinal center lines of the cut fringe to the top surface of the foundation piece to form jacent or parallel rows of alternate groups or clusters of loops and tufts, by unravelling the inner selvage chains permitting intermingling and contacting of adjacent loop clusters and single yarn tuft clusters to produce an overall pile design which is then subjected to the action of steaming treatments .to fluff the pile-forming yarn loops and yarn strands to complete the rug or article.

In the formation of rugs or other articles of the type hereinbefore referred to, the shag-like pile or nap may be of a single selected color by using a selected colored thread or yarn in the making of the double selvage fringe. If desired. a rug or article may be produced of a combination of colors by producing a double selvage fringe with the short loop sections of one color and the long loop sections of another color to produce a pile with the tuft and loop clusters of different colors. A rug may also be formed with a pile of variegated or intermingled color effects by forming the improved double selvage fringe out of variegated yarn or out of parallel strands of yarn of different colors used simultaneously to form both the short and long loop groups of the fringe. The loops may each be formed out of one or more strands of the fringeforming yarn.

Attention is called to the fact that while the cutters 8 are of a type having a continuous peripheral cutting edge to cutthrough the long loops 2 of the fringeto form the tuft clusters is to project about the tops of the loop clusters it, that suitable types of mutilated cutter discs having intermittent peripheral cutting edges may be substituted in place of the cutters 8. The mutilated cutter discs may be moved inwardly closer to one another on the cutter supporting shaft 1 so that the segmental cutter portions of each of the mutilated cutter discs will cut transversely through only the shorter loops 1 adjacent the inner sides of the chain-stitch inner selvage seams 4 and skip the cutting of the long loops 2. The fringe thus having only the shorter loops cut may then be stitched to a fabric foundation along a desired line of selected configuration, after which the chain-stitched inner and outer seams or cords 4 and 5 may be unravelled to release the long loops 2 to produce an attached fringe consisting of alternate groups or clusters of long loops and shorter tuftsto produce an embossed pile for the rug substantially'the reverse of that illustratedin Figure 6 to effect a different design or appearance to the rug.

It will, of course, be understood that the formation and construction of the improved double selvage yarn fringe out of which the rugs or other articles are to be produced, may be produced in various different forms from that illustrated in the upper portion of Figure 1, by varying the length of the loop sections, by variegating the colors of the different yarns used in forming the fringe, by cutting either the long or the short looped groups or by omitting the cutting of either of the looped groups and stitching the fringe to the foundation fabric before the outer and inner selvage seams are unravelled, to produce rugs or articles of different appearances and color combinations. g

It will furthermore be understood that various other details of construction and changes in the steps of the method of producing a rug or the like may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pile article forming fringe comprising a fringe body consisting of yarn woven back and forth transversely of the body to form alternate groups of long yarn loops and shorter yarn loops, central longitudinal stitching crossing the loop strands to hold the loop groups in position, inner chain-stitch seams removably stitched across the groups of long yarn loops and the groups of shorter yarn loops to temporarily hold the same in place, and outer chain-stitch seams stitched only across the outer end portions of the groups of long yarn loops to temporarily hold the roups of long yarn loops connected in spaced relationship.

2. A pile rug forming fringe comprising a body constructed of alternating groups ,of long and short yarn loops, a central seam stitched across the loop groups to permanently hold the same in position with respect to one another, inner chainstitch seams on opposite sides of the central seam and removably stitched across both the long and short loop groups, and outer chain-stitch seams stitched only across the long loop groups to connect the same. 1 r

3. A pile rug forming fringe comprising a body constructed of alternating groups of long and short yarn loops, a central seamstitched across the loop groups to permanently hold the same in position with respect to one another, inner chainstitch seams on opposite sides of the central seam and removably stitched across both the long and short loop groups, and outer chain-stitch seams stitched only across the long loop groups to connect the same, said outer chain-stitch seams removable prior to the use of the fringe by cutting off the bight portions of the long loops and discarding the outer chain-stitch seams with said out off bight portions still attached thereto.

4. A pile rug forming fringe comprising a body constructed of alternating groups, Of long and short yarn loops, a central seam stitched across the loop groups to permanently hold the same in position with respect to one another, inner chainstitch seams on opposite sides of the central seam and removably stitched across both the long and short loop groups, and outer chain-stitch seams stitched only across the long loop groups to connect the same, said outer chain-stitch seams removable prior to the use of the fringe by cutting off the bight portions of the long loops anddiscarding the outer chain-stitch seams with said out off bight portions still attached thereto, and said inner chain-stitch seams removable by unraveling after the out fringe has been secured in place to form the pile for a rug.

5. The method of producing a shag rug which consists of using a double edged yarn fringe consisting of groups of alternately arranged long and short loop sections connected by inner and outer. selvages, then cutting through the long loop sections to remove the bight portions of the long loops and the outer selvages and leaving out strand tuft sections separating the short loop sec-, tions, next seaming the cut fringe along a, longitudinal center line to a fabric back along a predetermined path to form adjacent spaced rows of the cut fringe with the seaming causing the opposite halves of the double fringe to move upwardly and inwardly toward one another, and then removing the inner selvages from the attached double fringe to free the short yarn loops and the strands of yarn forming the tuft sections permitting the short loops and the cut yarn strands forming opposite margins of the attached fringe to form alternating loop and tuft clusters in each fringe row inter-contacting the clusters in contiguous rows to provide a design pile substantially covering the fabric back. V

6. The method of producing a pile article of manufacture which consists of first making a double edged yarn fringe consisting of groups of alternately arranged transversely projecting long and short loop sections and simultaneously binding th loop sections to form inner and outer selvages, then cutting off the bight portions of one class of loop sections and simultaneously removing the selvages carrying the cut off bight portions, next seaming the cut fringe along a longitudinal center line to a fabric foundation along a predetermined path to form contiguous rows of the cut fringe with the seaming stitches causing the opposite halves of the double fringe to move upwardly and inwardly toward one another, and then removing the selvage forming means of the other class of loop sectionsto free the end portions of cut strands and loops permitting the cut strands and the loops forming opposite margin Of the attached fringe to form alternating tuft and loop clusters in each fringe row inter-contacting the clusters of contiguous rows to provide an embossed design pile covering the fabric foundation.

7. The method of producing a pile like article of manufacture which consists of first making a double edged yarn fringe consisting of groups of alternately arranged transversely disposed long and short loop sections and simultaneously binding the loop sections by chain-stitching forming outer and inner selvages on both sides of the fringe, then releasing the bight portions of one class of loop sections, next seaming the fringe in spaced rows to a foundation fabric and causing the oppositemargins of the double fringe to move toward one another, then unraveling the chain-stitch selvages of the other class of loop sections to free the loops permitting the same to combine and form alternating short andlong loop clusters in each row to contact those of adjacent rows to form an embossed design pile covering the foundation fabric.

8. A fringe comprising a body constructed of alternating groups of adjacently positioned long and short loops, a main seam crossing the loop groups to secure the same adjacent on another, completely removableinner selvages on opposite 9 sides of the main seam and crossing both the long and the short loop groups, and completely removabl outer selvages on opposite sides of the main seam crossing only the long loop groups and forming connections therebetween.

9. A pile article forming fringe comprising a fringe body consisting of yarn Woven back and forth transversely of the body to form alternate groups of long yarn loops and shorter yarn loops, central longitudinal stitching crossing the loop strands to hold the loop groups in position, inner securing means removably secured across the groups of both the long and short yarn loops to temporarily hold the same in place, and outer securing means removably secured only across the groups of long yarn loops to temporarily hold said groups of long yarn loops connected in spaced relationship.

10. A pile rug forming fringe comprising a body constructed of alternating groups of long and short yarn loops, a central seam stitched across the loop groups to permanently hold the same in position with respect to one another,

1d inner securing means on opposite sides of the central seam and removably secured across both the long and short loop groups, and outer securing means secured only across the long loop groups to connect the same.

11. Th method of producing a pile like article of manufacture Which consists of first making a double edged yarn fringe consisting of groups of alternately arranged transversely disposed long and short loop sections and simultaneously binding the loop sections by outer and inner selvages on both sides of the fringe, then releasing the bight portions of one class of the loop sections, next securing the fringe to a foundation fabric and causing the opposite margins of the: fringe to move toward one anothen'then removing the selvages of the other class of loop sections to free the loops permitting the same to combine and form alternating short and long loop clusters to contact adjacent clusters to form an embossed design on the foundation fabric.

BENJAMIN A. GREENBERG. 

